Adelaide’s climate is another plus: the clear blue skies make it perfect for outdoor living most of the year. For winter, a warm coat and scarf is all that’s needed. The pattern of weather is hot, dry summers, with temperate, wetter winters, glorious mild autumns through April and May, and warm spring days in September and October. The average temperature hovers around 29° C through summer and dips to around 15° C in winter. South Australia’s major industries are wine, metals, manufacturing (especially cars), along with food and food processing. It also has a rapidly expanding advanced research and technology sector, particularly in defence science and technology, and bioscience. International students enjoy SA Education has become a priority area in South Australia. International students have arrived in record numbers over the past fi ve years. Last year alone, the number who chose Adelaide as their education destination rose by 20%. International students come from many countries around the globe. In 2008, the largest numbers of students were from China (9000), India (4400), Malaysia (2000), South Korea (1700), Hong Kong (1700), Vietnam (1000) and Japan (900). Many students choose Adelaide to gain qualifications in management and commerce. Cultural studies are increasingly popular, and there has been a sustained growth in engineering, technology and health science. Adelaide has many open spaces and parklands; sometimes a koala can be seen snoozing in a eucalyptus tree. Last year, more than 12,000 international students were enrolled in South Australian universities, while at the vocational training level, the number of international students increased dramatically to 5000. The number of students attending English language colleges has also soared, by around 30%. Students are discovering that Adelaide is a wonderful place to improve their English skills. Because Adelaide is such a sociable city, it’s easy to fi nd local people for conversation practice after class. International students are also supported by the group, Study Adelaide, which has a year-long calendar of free activities and events to help student settle in. In 2008, almost 5000 students took part in excursions organised by Study Adelaide to an AFL football match, the annual Lord Mayor’s Student Welcome at the Adelaide Town Hall and the annual Governor’s Farewell at Government House. World-class universities Three world-class Australian universities have campuses in the city and across the state. An American university and an English university have also recently set up in Adelaide. In total, these universities enrol around 60,000 students. They cover the spectrum of advanced education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Australia: The Education Destination Top: Adelaide is a friendly, safe and clean city. Above: Three world-class universities have campuses in Adelaide and across the state. Images courtesy of SA Tourism Commission. > 67 SOUTH AUSTRALIA